RELATED ALLIANCES

The Need

Strengthening supports for English learners is a top priority for all four states in the region, each of which includes large populations of English learner (EL) students (nearly 2,000,000, or 25% of students across the four states, according to the Common Core of Data).

Identifying policies and practices to improve English learner student achievement is an everyday concern for SEAs and LEAs in the region, and the issue remains a clear and persistent theme in any discussion about school improvement, curriculum, teacher quality, or school finance, both at the state policy level and in programmatic discussions.

States have requested assistance to better understand how EL students are progressing, and ways to strengthen and accelerate learning within this growing population.

Our Work

Two of REL West’s alliances are tackling these issues, generating knowledge about better assessment and instructional practices for English learner students.

An alliance of state program and assessment directors (English Learner Alliance) is looking at achievement patterns and demographic characteristics of their EL students in order to strengthen assessment practices and systems in their states.

An alliance of eight California districts (CORE Alliance), representing over one million students, is examining formative assessment and teaching strategies for EL students through implementation of Common Core State Standards.